Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2 is brilliant. The game's many additions such as new weapons, new infected types, daylight campaigns and more varied scenery really spice up the format of Left 4 Dead. To me, the original now seems fairly bland and boring with its exclusively night-time maps and only a very small number of weapons.

I feel the two best campaigns in the game are Dark Carnival and Hard Rain. Dark Carnival takes the survivors through an abandoned theme park. You'll be running from infected hordes through a Tunnel-of-Love and along a roller-coaster track. There's also an achievement for carrying a garden gnome through the entire campaign and the finale is fantastic.

Hard Rain sees the survivors' boat run out of fuel, forcing them to disembark and head to a gas station for a fill-up. They then have to make a return journey, which means that if the players use up all the safe room health packs on the way, they won't have any left on the way back.

Hard Rain gets its namesake from the dynamic weather effects it features. At any moment, a storm could roll in, reducing visibility significantly and making the survivors sitting ducks for special infected attacks. It also means that, on the return journey, much of the route will be flooded, slowing the survivors down and making them use alternate paths.

The other campaigns are excellent as well, and there is a running story arc throughout them, unlike in the original game. The only problem with this is that, due to Left 4 Dead's multiplayer format, there is no real ending sound-off to the story, although the last finale of the game is by far the hardest.

Left 4 Dead 2 takes Left 4 Dead's award-winning format and improves on it tenfold. Anyone who liked Left 4 Dead, or likes shooters in general, should definitely give this one a go.

Woohoo! Take all of zombie films and take the good old FPS action element and you got this game. It's a pretty good game. I have only played singleplayer mode, and I have enjoyed enough. Now, this game is pretty, compared to the movies, pretty colorful, it has nice graphics, interesting AI and tense action. You can choose between four characters. They are not special in their own way, that's too bad, I expected that each of them have something special, some special move, or combo, something like that, but no, they are just based upon some usual characters from the zombie movies that joins together to fight their way through the zombie filled terrain. The only thing different is… weapons… UZIs, shotguns, handguns, melee weapons, now these are cool, you have katana, or chainsaw for example. You just pick your character and go shoot some zombies. Now, the zombies are pretty good here, they are attacking in packs, of course, but, they are not slow, oh no. They move slowly, until they see you, then, they start running at you and slap you crazy. They are not typical slow zombies, but fast paced, kill-you zombies. Not just that, but you also have special zombies that have special abilities, for example you have Charger, a large, mutated zombie that runs like nuts and crushing everything in their path, you also have Smokers, Spiters, Jockeys, Hunters, Boomers, pretty much pain in the neck all of them, and two more very, very specials the Tank, a very large mutated zombie, more stronger than Charger and a Witch… now that's an unusual character, but she is the most dangerous, when she jumps, she will claw you to the ground. Now… the gameplay is pretty simple on moments, but on some occasions, it can be pain in the neck, especially with these special zombies, but overall, it's fun. The levels are good, a pre-apocalyptic ambient of deserted villages, small towns, hotels, malls… If you 're watching "Walking Dead" for example, and you enjoy it, well… you'll enjoy this too.

It was probably only a year after I got the first left 4 dead before I got left 4 dead 2 for my birthday(?) or maybe my brother bought it; don't entirely remember. I just remembered that this game was a complete upgrade from the original through and through, with some kickass new zombies to kill, (like the jockey for example) some improved graphics, and even cooler, creepier levels to complete. The story is about as weak as the first game, but there's enough narrative to keep me invested. Gameplay is the biggest feat here. It's also a nostalgic experience for me, even probably moreso than the first game because my brother, are childhood friends, and cousins used to play this with us; countless days and nights wasted playing this awesome, gruesome game. Definitely one of the best zombie games I've ever played.

L4D2 is a great game and probably the best game to play on a friday night with a few friends. Almost every time me and my friends play we have a similair experience: starting of goofing around and eventually beating a level dead serious with complete teamwork. I recommend buying yourself and a few friends this game and I guarantee you'll have a great time.

Three or four weeks after the outbreak began(depending on the source you go by), the optimistic rescue attempt(the government's response increases over the course of this) leaves some standing on the rooftop, looking at the helicopters flying away, and realize they have to take things into their own hands. Nick(a gambler and small-time hustler), Ellis(chatty and upbeat young mechanic), Rochelle(low-level employee of local TV station) and Coach(overweight African-American who trains high school football) will have to make their way from Savannah, Georgia to New Orleans(this really captures the flavor of The South, in aforementioned characters who have personality without being obnoxious, the fast-paced if lighter score, the areas, etc.) in search of a safe place to stay.

They will move through a carnival(clowns! Honk their noses, take 'em out to stop their squeaky shoes from attracting more!), swamp, a deep forest(did I mention that this has some levels that take place during daytime? This creates a stronger contrast between the brightly lit outdoors and the pitch black deepest inside areas - plus, running around, with the undead around, in the sun? That's just plain creepy), a mall, a cemetery(much bigger than the other one, and it's too obvious to not do... sure, they don't unearth themselves, still), a huge cornfield(look above to spot a sign on a building to see if you're even going the right way!), small towns, and, where the FX enhance the atmosphere, with the slight increase in continuity and/or story not locking it in place(the AI Director 2.0 will keep you guessing, changing things like weather, objects and paths depending on what you are or aren't doing, it still feels alive and is endlessly replayable), rather making it have an impact - Hard Rain is a *journey*, as you make your way from a vehicle, to gather gas, and all the way back, as the downpour grows terrifyingly, hampering visibility and even making it difficult to hear if danger is near. And right where they start? Atop a hotel. Which is partially on fire. Smoke obscures the view, flames block the path as debris did before.

In total we have 7 new campaigns, for half to a full hour per, with 3-5 parts each. The 6 of the original return, and with all the new content and variety, this won't wear out its welcome anytime soon. I don't know why not all 20 Survival(and that can now be played with a team controlling the Smoker, Hunter, etc.! Swap places, beat the other guys' time) stages return... only 4, from The Sacrifice and No Mercy(so not even all of them), and they're joined by 13 new. The one new mode has 16 total, 9 for this and 7 from the '07 ones(not just the same): Scavenge. Gather the 21 gas cans and fill the generator. Timed, so don't dawdle, and if too long passes with you not getting further, that's it. The other team will have tried to prevent you from getting them all, and will have to top your score, however high or low, to win. This is distinct from regular Vs. - everything in this complements, fits, doesn't replace and doesn't rehash - in that there's always a rush, it's in a single small area, and that camping is not an option.

In fact, that does seem to be a priority with this, preventing that, the death of all creative approaches to online shooters. The aforementioned is also present in regular play, as one of the two new crescendo event types - refuel something or otherwise transport one or more items from one place to another before you can proceed, with the final one being the Gauntlet, where you have to get from points A to B - and you'd better be ready, because it's a relatively tight corridor, it's far, and you have to keep moving(once you get there, it has either the end, or the button to turn off an alarm that keeps luring foes in). These make it vital to take an active part in these climax-like portions, and one that, like when making your way forward in general, may be unique; how many will transport the important thing(which prevents whoever is carrying one from attacking... and if dropped, they are volatile, this is gasoline we're talking about), how many, if any, will cover them? And if you're almost there, should you turn back to help if needed, or come back after securing victory?

Further keeping you on your feet when taking on the role of one of the humans are the three new Special Infected, all of them filling niches and mending holes in their side's tactics. The Spitter has a projectile that does splash damage, has good range and who won't be immobilized from using it. Don't stand so close to me! That goes for The Charger, as well - a faster, less armored version of The Tank, he'll bowl right through all four of them, sending them in different directions, grabbing one, and rushing further, until he hits a vertical surface. Or goes right off an edge(if he doesn't, he'll pound the one he got into the ground until they die, or he does, at the hand of the others). The Jockey steers the person he's on the back of away, and possibly into something that'll hurt 'em... like one of the many, and no longer always stationary, Witches.

While the arsenal is made up mostly of the same kinds, each now has at least two within that(all useful, yet with different stats), and you're more likely to find a replacement gun than additional ammo. Save your bullets, or lose, if you have, a laser sight or incendiary/explosive clip? You can replace your pistol with a mêlée weapon(like a chainsaw!), with instant-kills in an arc in front of you.

There is constant detailed, bloody, disturbing gore and violent content in this. I recommend it to anyone who's ever enjoyed a post-apocalyptic zombie concept. 9/10